Continuing with our helpful and easy pointers to give you a head start on avoiding any potentially costly plumbing disasters that could happen as a result of the changing of the seasons and the inevitable drop in temperature, the Raleigh professional plumbers at Poole’s Plumbing continue where we left off on our last article and head indoors for our Inside Fall Plumbing Tips.

As you already know, Poole’s Plumbing is the number one water heater expert in the Raleigh/Triangle area, and there are several easy procedures to follow in our Inside Fall Plumbing Tips to avoid not only losing hot water when the colder temperatures hit, but also to help avoid a messy situation both in your home and your wallet.

Water Heater Maintenance

With colder temperatures, your water heater unit is working harder during the fall and winter months. The first of our Inside Fall Plumbing Tips is to flush the unit out and remove any and all sediment buildup. If not done, corrosion can occur, which leads to reduced efficiency and actually can shorten the lifespan of your water heater.

Inside Fall Plumbing Tip number two regarding the water heater is to test the unit’s pressure relief valve. BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN DOING THIS, AS THE WATER IS HOT. But when you lift the lever and let it snap back, you should see a burst of water into the drainpipe and if you don’t call your helpful friends at Poole’s to come and take a look at it.

Be sure to check the thermostat on your unit. It should be set on 120 degrees Fahrenheit for best performance.

Shut Off Valves

An Inside Fall Plumbing Tip that pertains to the outside of your home as well: if you have inside shut-off valves that lead to your outside faucets be sure they are closed and that those outside lines are full drained

Know where your home’s main shut off valve is and if you are leaving for a vacation or a long period, shut it off and open all faucets to allow them to drain.

One final Inside Fall Plumbing Tip also pertains to when you will be leaving your home for long periods of time. Always remember to leave your heat turned on at no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit, do that no pipes freeze while you are away.

Our Inside Fall Plumbing Tips and the previous blog post covering the outside of your house can help for a worry-free period through the upcoming months as the temperature begins to drop. If you do see some type of issue when following these easy-to-follow pointers, call the professionals at Poole’s at 919-661-6334 or contact us through our website at poolesplumbing.com.